For the next two weeks there is just one place to land when you're looking for somewhere to go.

That's Lancaster Priory ... where 'The Moon' is drawing huge crowds.

The historic church is currently hosting one of the world’s most awe-inspiring artworks – a massive replica of the moon – suspended from the Priory's ancient rafters from November 1-21.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, The Moon features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 5km of the moon’s surface.

The Moon exhibition is one of several currently touring the world, attracting more than three million visitors.

The Priory will welcome the largest version by UK artist, Luke Jerram who has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. He is known worldwide for his large scale public artworks.

Luke’s installation is complemented by a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround sound created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello awardwinning composer, Dan Jones.

Luke had the idea for The Moon 15 years ago but the data for creating its imagery was only made available by NASA fairly recently.

“As a child I always wanted a telescope so I could study the Moon and the night’s sky,” he said. “Now with my own Moon, I can fly there, study every detail and share this experience with the public. We can explore the far side of the Moon which is never visible from Earth.”

Lancaster Priory has a growing reputation for its cultural programme, and this lunar artwork is its biggest event to date.

The Vicar of Lancaster, Canon Chris Newlands said: “In this 50^th anniversary year of the moon landings, we are very excited and proud to host such a spectacular artwork at the Priory and I’m sure everyone who visits will be impressed by its beauty and scale.

“We encourage as many people as possible to take the opportunity of seeing The Moon while it’s in Lancaster and enjoy the themed programme of events taking place at the same time.”

The Moon at the Priory can be visited during the day and there are late night openings too from 4-9pm on Thursday-Saturday.

Admission is £3 for adults and £1 for children. Advance booking is recommended. For updates on the events programme and to book tickets, visit this page of the Priory website. 

Ronnie Semley, November 2019